Jonny Bairstow powered England to a five-wicket win over South Africa in the first Twenty20 international at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bairstow thrashed 86 not out off 48 balls as England chased down a victory target of 180 with four balls to spare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England were struggling at 34 for three before Bairstow and Ben Stokes (37) changed the momentum of the match with a fourth-wicket stand of 85.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even so, South Africa still had a realistic chance of winning as England went into the last four overs needing 51 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks conceded 28 runs in the 17th over, including three wides which cost eight runs, as Bairstow and England captain Eoin Morgan went on the attack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Morgan said the win was “extremely pleasing, given that we were pretty average apart from two or three players.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Morgan said England’s bowlers “missed areas”, although left-armer Sam Curran claimed a career-best three for 28 in South Africa’s innings of 179 for six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
And he was disappointed with the batting start, although he praised Bairstow and Stokes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
“Jonny and Ben rebuilding the way they did set up the win nicely,” he told SuperSport television.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bairstow batted at number four instead of opening as he often does in white-ball cricket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
“It’s something you’ve got to enjoy,” he said. “You learn to craft your innings in different ways.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bairstow hit nine fours and four sixes, finishing the match in style with his fourth six which sailed into a building site on the northern end of the ground.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former captain Faf du Plessis top-scored for South Africa with 58 off 40 balls after his side were sent in on a cool evening.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
South Africa’s first international match since March was staged without spectators because of Covid restrictions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
South African captain Quinton de Kock refused to blame the Hendricks over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I don’t think it was just the one over. It was the way Jonny and Ben played. We didn’t play badly. They played really well.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The teams meet again in a day game in Paarl on Sunday.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2020\/11\/England-VS-South-Africa,-1st-T20I-Bairstow-Powers-Eng-To-5-Wicket-Victory-Over-Hosts-SA-.jpg", "alt_img": "England VS South Africa, 1st T20I Bairstow Powers Eng To 5 Wicket Victory Over Hosts SA ", "alt_title": "Jonny Bairstow", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "England vs South Africa, 1st T20I: Bairstow Powers Eng To 5 Wicket Victory Over Hosts SA On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "Jonny Bairstow powered England to a five-wicket win over South Africa in the first Twenty20 international at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday. Bairstow thrashed 86 not out off 48 balls as England chase", "seo_keywords": "Jonny Bairstow, England Tour of South Africa", "tag": "", "tagging": "Jonny Bairstow,England Tour of South Africa,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "england-vs-south-africa-1st-t20i-bairstow-powers-eng-to-5-wicket-victory-over-hosts-sa", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "2697", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2020-11-28 10:20:51", "updated": "2020-11-28 10:20:51", "img_from": "Jonny Bairstow", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": "Jonny Bairstow, England vs South Africa, T20I", "livescore_text": "", "livescore_link": "", "btn_text": "", "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "1", "jio_date": "2020-11-28 10:20:51", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2020-11-28 10:20:51", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/england-vs-south-africa-1st-t20i-bairstow-powers-eng-to-5-wicket-victory-over-hosts-sa-67661" }